Text of Senate Amendment 6648

On 2026-07-13, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6648" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6648

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3853-S3856] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6648. Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. Kaine) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end of subtitle E of title XII, add the following: SEC. 1270A. ADVANCING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESS TRANSNATIONAL CRIME. (a) Addressing Gaps in Law Enforcement and Anti-crime Programs.-- (1) Strategic plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State (referred to in this section and section 1270B as the ``Secretary''), acting through the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (referred to in this section and section 1270B as the ``Assistant Secretary''), shall develop and implement a strategic plan for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (referred to in this section and section 1270B as the ``Bureau'') to expand anti-crime programming related to citizen security and the rule of law, crime and violence prevention, and other efforts to address systemic and structural drivers of transnational crime for an initial 5-year period. (2) Scope.--Programs identified pursuant to paragraph (1) -- (A) shall include types of anti-crime programs traditionally done by other bureaus within the Department of State; and (B) may include-- (i) community-level crime and violence prevention programs; (ii) alternative development programs; (iii) land titling programs; and (iv) anti-corruption and good governance programs. (3) Stakeholder engagement.--In developing the strategic plan under paragraph (1), and before implementing such plan and submitting the report required under paragraph (5), the Secretary shall-- (A) consult with, and incorporate suggestions from, security, law enforcement, and justice institutions of partner governments, relevant multilateral and intergovernmental entities, and relevant private sector entities, to the maximum extent practicable; (B) consult with, and incorporate suggestions from, the appropriate congressional committees, to the maximum extent practicable; (C) request a list from partner governments identifying resource and program gaps in anti-crime efforts following the foreign assistance review directed by the President through Executive Order 14169 (90 Fed. Reg. [[Page S3854]] 8619 (January 20, 2025) relating to reevaluating and realigning United States foreign aid); and (D) request a list of gaps and opportunities in programming described in paragraphs (1) and (2) from the chief of mission of the United States embassies in all countries that receive assistance under chapter 8 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291 et seq.). (4) Prioritization.--The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, should prioritize the use of funds appropriated to carry out chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.) for programs and activities identified under this subsection when International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement funding is not available for such purpose. (5) Report.--The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall include, in the first report submitted after the date of the enactment of this Act, a section containing-- (A) the strategic plan required under paragraph (1), including-- (i) a description of the initial proposed list of new anti- crime programs for the Bureau to undertake; (ii) the identification of an initial list of priority countries for receiving such programming, which shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include countries across all the geographic regions in which the Bureau operates; and (iii) a description of any constraints or challenges to the Bureau undertaking such programming; (B) a timeline for implementing the strategic plan; and (C) a description of the funds needed to implement such plan and programming during the next 5 fiscal years. (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to implement this subsection. (b) Public-private Partnerships.-- (1) Authorization.--The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, and in coordination with the heads of relevant Federal departments and agencies, is authorized and encouraged to pursue public-private partnerships, other research partnerships, and innovative financing mechanisms-- (A) to strengthen citizen security; (B) to counter transnational crime; and (C) to otherwise prevent and reduce violence and participation in illicit markets that affect United States national interests, including through initiatives at the community level. (2) Priority focus areas.--Partnerships authorized under paragraph (1) shall prioritize, during the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, efforts to address-- (A) cyber-scam centers; (B) demand reduction matters relating to the illicit use of narcotics and other drugs, particularly fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, including monitoring and data collection regarding use of such illicit drugs; (C) port security and maritime domain awareness; (D) sexual and gender-based violence; (E) alternatives to illicit drug cultivation; (F) anti-money laundering; (G) community-based crime and violence deterrence and prevention; (H) rule of law, transparency, and anti-corruption; and (I) environmental and natural resource crimes. (3) Consultation.--In expanding the Department of State's public-private partnerships and other multi-stakeholder initiatives in the areas described in paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary shall engage with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other entities with experience undertaking public-private partnerships related to law enforcement and anti-crime issues. (4) Capacity building and information sharing.--The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, and in coordination with the heads of relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies and other related institutions of partner governments, the private sector, and civil society-- (A) to convene capacity building and training sessions, events, and other forums to explore opportunities for public- private partnerships related to the activities described in paragraph (1) in each geographic region in which the Bureau operates; and (B) to encourage information sharing on best practices to address such activities. (5) Limitations.--Any public-private partnership entered into pursuant to this subsection shall comply with-- (A) international best practices on public-private partnerships; and (B) additional guidelines and standards for best practices set by the Secretary of State, including those within section 970 of volume 2 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. (6) Notification and briefing.--Before entering into a public-private partnership under this subsection, the Assistant Secretary shall notify and brief the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives regarding the activities to be undertaken under such partnership and how partner entities will be selected. (c) Rule of Construction.--The term ``anticrime purposes'', with respect to the authority of the President under section 481(a)(4) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291(a)(4)), shall be construed to allow for the provision of assistance, including through grants to nongovernmental organizations, for efforts-- (1) to advance citizen security and the rule of law; (2) to strengthen the capacity, accountability, and reform of foreign security, law enforcement, and justice institutions, including police, prosecutors and judges, correctional facilities, border and customs enforcement authorities, anti-corruption institutions, and other related entities; (3) to prevent, reduce, or deter transnational crime; and (4) to otherwise address the drivers and impacts of illicit activity, including systemic and structural drivers of violence, affecting United States national interests, including through programs that-- (A) prevent community violence and crime; (B) provide alternatives to drug cultivation and production or other illicit activities; (C) disarm, demobilize, or reintegrate members of criminal organizations; (D) reduce impunity and strengthen anti-corruption and good governance frameworks; (E) increase government presence and access to justice in conflict-affected areas; (F) prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence; and (G) address illicit arms trafficking. (d) Modification of Assistant Secretary's Areas of Responsibility.--Section 1(c)(3)(B) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a(c)(3)(B)) is amended-- (1) in clause (ii), by inserting ``law enforcement and'' after ``foreign''; (2) in clause (iv), by striking ``human rights and women's participation issues'' and inserting ``human rights, women's, afrodescendents', indigenous people's, and other excluded communities' participation issues, and international humanitarian law, as applicable''; (3) in clause (v), by striking ``wildlife, and cultural property, migrant smuggling, corruption, money laundering, the illicit smuggling of bulk cash, the licit use of financial systems for malign purposes,'' and inserting ``wildlife, timber, metals and minerals, and cultural prop